Strand Larsen Joins Palace for £48m as Mateta Move Fails
Crystal Palace have shattered their transfer record to sign Jorgen Strand Larsen from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a fee rising to £48 million.
The 25-year-old Norwegian striker, who scored 14 times last season, joins a Palace side that has spent over £90 million this window following the earlier arrival of Brennan Johnson.
The deal was finalised during a frantic deadline day, Monday 2 February, at Selhurst Park. While Strand Larsen arrived, Jean-Philippe Mateta’s £30-million move to AC Milan collapsed after a second medical examination flagged concerns regarding a knee injury.
Mateta now faces a difficult reintegration into the squad. Additionally, a late attempt to sign Everton’s Dwight McNeil failed after the club failed to complete the paperwork in time.
Chairman Steve Parish expressed his confidence in the new arrival, stating, “I’m sure he will prove himself a valuable asset for years to come.”
However, manager Oliver Glasner criticised the club’s late recruitment strategy, noting that having several new players arrive at once can be counterproductive.
“It feels like two years ago having to teach them how we want to play, how we want to attack. You can see too many misunderstandings right now,” Glasner remarked.
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